Overview

The ICP training course is conducted over three days on a face-to-face basis at the College of Law’s Sydney campus and is ideal for:

• Legal practitioners, especially in Family Law, Wills and Estates practice and/or commercial dispute resolution
• Family Dispute Resolution Practitioners and NMAS accredited mediators
• Financial professionals including accountants and advisors
• Psychologists, counsellors and social workers
• Professionals looking to become Collaborative Coaches or Associate Coaches, subject to eligibility requirements.

Our expert facilitators include leading Collaborative Practitioners:

• David Roberts, Mediator, FDRP, Counsellor and Collaborative Practitioner Coach
• Jackie Jones, Collaborative Family Law Practitioner and Accredited Family Law Specialist
• Matthew Shepherd, Collaborative Family Law Practitioner and Accredited Family Law Specialist

Catering

Morning tea and afternoon tea are provided on each day of the course.

Designed for

This is a NSW based course designed for experienced family lawyers, wills and estates lawyers, commercial and civil dispute lawyers; FDRPs, NMAS mediators, accountants, financial advisors, psychologists, psychiatrists, counsellors and social workers.

Claiming CPD Units

If you intend to claim CPD units for this educational activity, please note that CPD activities are not accredited by the Law Society of NSW or any other equivalent local authority, with the exception of Western Australia. If you hold a practising certificate in a state or territory other than Western Australia and this educational activity extends your knowledge and skills in areas that are relevant to your practice needs or professional development, then you should claim one (1) "unit” for each hour of attendance, refreshment breaks not included. The annual requirement is ten (10) CPD units each year from 1 April to 31 March. Some practitioners, such as accredited specialists are required to complete more than ten (10) units each CPD year.

This course is not an approved CPD activity for Western Australian practitioners.

Mandatories covered

• Professional skills
• Ethics and professional responsibility

Presenter biography

David Roberts

David Roberts has 20 years of experience in the family law sector, working first in the not-for-profit organisations CatholicCare and Relationships Australia before establishing his own private practice. He has presented on Collaborative Practice at numerous national conferences and is an occasional lecturer at UTS.

As a nationally accredited mediator, qualified family dispute resolution practitioner, counsellor, child consultant, David offers a unique set of skills to his clients and those he teaches. As a divorce coach his extensive experience in family law and counselling assists clients as they navigate through the legal process.

David’s extensive experience in collaborative practice and teaching the collaborative approach ideally places him to assist those who are new to this form of dispute resolution to succeed.

David is a member of the Australian Association of Collaborative Professionals, the International Academy of Collaborative Professionals and Resolution Institute.

Jackie Jones

Jackie Jones completed a BEc LLB at Macquarie University and was admitted as a solicitor to the Supreme Court of NSW and the High Court of Australia in 1983. In 1994 Jackie achieved accreditation as a family law specialist from the Law Society of New South Wales. Since 2013 Jackie has been a member of the NSW Law Society Family Law Accreditation Committee. She has completed the Arbitration Course at Bond University and Collaborative Law training at UTS Sydney.

During her career, Jackie has primarily been involved in 'family' matters. Jackie has been responsible for a number of reported decisions in the Family Court of Australia and had carriage of a matter determined by the High Court of Australia, establishing legal principle on solicitors duty to third parties. Since 2011 Jackie has exclusively practiced in the dispute resolution process, ‘collaborative practice’.

In 2011 Jackie commenced as a ‘clinical practitioner’ at the University of Technology Sydney in the Faculty of Law. She has received the following recognitions for her excellence in teaching: a ‘Learning and Teaching Citation’ from the University: the ‘Teaching Award’ from the Faculty of Law presented to a staff member who has demonstrated excellence in teaching and learning. In addition to teaching in the ‘Graduate Certificate in Professional Legal Practice’, Jackie has taught in ‘Family Dispute Resolution’, ‘Collaborative Law’ and ‘Family Law’. Jackie holds the Graduate Certificate in Higher Education Teaching and Learning from UTS. She is a co-author of ‘The University teaching of family law’ (2022) 35 Australian Journal of Family Law 68.

Jackie applied her teaching skill and legal experience in her collaboration with Nigel Nicholls and David Roberts in developing and presenting training for professionals in the interdisciplinary dispute resolution process, 'collaborative practice'. Jackie is a member of the Law Society of NSW, Law Council of Australia and Australian Association of Collaborative Professionals. She was previously on the Board of Collaborative Professionals NSW and an inaugural member of Central Sydney Collaborative Forum.

Matthew Shepherd

Matthew Shepherd has specialised in family law since 1990. He was accredited as a family law specialist by the New South Wales Law Society in 1996. Matthew is also a highly experienced family law mediator, family dispute resolution practitioner, arbitrator and collaborative practitioner.

Whilst Matthew is an experienced court advocate, he helps most of his clients reach good agreements through dispute resolution processes other than court. He works with clients to consider not only the best legal and financial outcomes for their family, but also to consider the best dispute resolution process to achieve those outcomes. The choice of dispute resolution process has a big impact on the quality of agreements reached and how well they are implemented. Matthew has a Masters of Dispute Resolution (Honours) from the University of Technology Sydney, where he taught Dispute Resolution Advocacy from 2014 to 2020. Here are some of Matthew’s published writings on family law, negotiation and dispute resolution.

In addition to acting for one of the separating parties, Matthew can also work with both parties as a mediator to help them reach fair agreements about their children and finances. Mediation can occur with just the parties, or alternatively with their lawyers also attending. As family dispute resolution practitioner registered with the Australian Attorney General, Matthew can issue certificates advising courts that the parties have participated in mediation about arrangements for their children.

Matthew Shepherd is also a registered family law property arbitrator. If both parties consent to enter into an agreement to participate in arbitration, Matthew can conduct a hearing and issue an arbitral award which is binding and can be registered with the Family Court. Arbitration provides a financial settlement quickly and privately.

Filming and Photography

Please be aware that this seminar organised by the College of Law may be recorded for use on our websites, marketing materials and publications. By attending and participating in a College of Law Continuing Professional Development course, you consent to the College of Law photographing or recording and using your image and likeness and/or voice.